Essentials of Migration Management for Policy Makers and Practitioners

1. Essentials of Migration Management for Policy Makers and Practitioners Section 1.10 Managing Perception

2. Section 1.10 Managing Perception Learning Objectives • increase your knowledge of the main concepts and processes associated with managing public perception • better understand the importance of managing public perception for policy success or failure • develop your ability to manage public perceptions when developing and explaining migration policy Essentials of Migration Management

3. Section 1.10 Managing Perception Topic Titles Topic One: Involving Governments in Information Management Topic Two: Using Information to Manage Migration Topic Three: Developing Communication Strategies Essentials of Migration Management

4. Section 1.10 Managing Perception Terms and Concepts Information Ideas and facts, i.e., knowledge, news, and factual intelligence acquired in any manner and communicated in any format. In the context of migration, information refers to news, ideas, and facts related to migration trends and statistics, immigration legislation and procedures, and the practical aspects of immigration and/or emigration. Information agency An organization whose primary function is to provide information to the public Information campaign The sum total of all outreach efforts that support a product or purpose in order to achieve educational, informational, public relations, and related objectives (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

5. Section 1.10 Managing Perception Mass communication The delivery of information to large audiences via traditional mass media, for example, print and electronic media, or through informal media, for example, direct communication, meetings, discussion, and active interaction Mass information Information delivered to large target audiences usually through mass-media channels. Information prepared for the use of large audiences Mass media Forms of communication that reach large audiences such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, in contrast to newsletters or other media that are more specialized (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

6. Section 1.10 Managing Perception Message The content of a communication act or process. A communication, a statement, a basic theme of significance. In the case of information campaigns, the message presents the overarching theme of the campaign and concentrates the most important information for a target audience Perception How something is experienced and interpreted by people. Perception is distinguished from information and knowledge. A perception can be true or false, justified or unjustified. Perception is the result of many factors including socialization, education, availability of information, and individual or group needs. Essentials of Migration Management

7. Managing Perception Topic One Involving Governments in Information Management

8. Topic OneInvolving Governments in Information Management Important Points • Governments can use mass information as a migration management tool to increase the impact of law-enforcement measures or of legislation. • Migrants act not so much on the basis of economic and other realities but on their perceptions of these realities. • Migrants may trust and use sources that present incomplete and biased information. • The passive, laissez-faire attitude towards emigrants who decided to try their luck abroad has gradually changed to one of more visible guidance and protection. (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

9. Topic OneInvolving Governments in Information Management • Better information can help remedy some misperceptions and convey a balanced and true picture of the actual policy and practice of immigration countries. • Effective communication can explain the challenges of the immigration process facing governments and migrants, particularly the management of entry and stay. • Better communication on policies and practices to control irregular migration sends out some important messages that governments are serious about controlling irregular migration. Essentials of Migration Management

10. Topic OneInvolving Governments in Information Management Involving governments in Information Management • Governments should not be the sole providers of migration information. • Most migrants expect governments to be more of a standard setter than a direct provider of information. • Apart from the role of standard setter, governments also need to take on a more proactive role in certain migration scenarios. • "Consumers" of migration information rely on official channels, on private sector providers, on immigration lawyers, and, in increasing numbers, on the Internet’s World Wide Web. (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

11. Topic OneInvolving Governments in Information Management • The flexibility and cost-efficiency of the Web make dedicated migration sites an ideal tool for the purpose of providing information on migration that is easily accessible to all providers. • "Consumers" are looking to governments to provide a more rigorous certification process that would impose certain operational and ethical standards on free-market information providers. Essentials of Migration Management

12. Managing Perception Topic Two Using Information to Manage Migration

13. Topic TwoUsing Information to Manage Migration Important Points • Large-scale information campaigns can be used in situations of irregular outflows. Information campaigns can: • discourage irregular departures by warning of the risks and consequences of irregular migration • point out the possibilities for regular migration to those migrant communities that are most likely to qualify for these opportunities (it is important that false expectations are not raised in those communities not likely to qualify for regular migration opportunities) • give prospective migrants objective information on day-to-day economic and social realities in countries of immigration. (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

14. Topic TwoUsing Information to Manage Migration • Information campaigns can use a variety of media and messages to warn audiences of the risks and consequences of trafficking and forced prostitution in a foreign country. • Pre-departure counselling or targeted information can facilitate labour migration flows. • Better information leads to better crisis management in humanitarian emergencies and post-conflict situations. • Information campaigns have been used in some countries to inform irregular migrants of the possibility of their obtaining legal residence status through regularization or amnesty programmes. (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

15. Topic TwoUsing Information to Manage Migration • Well-targeted information campaigns carried out in the initial stages of reconstruction and development projects can help build trust in the process, address misconceptions and misinformation, and ensure that a majority of affected parties participate. • The difficult plight of displaced people or refugees being moved to new, unknown destinations can be made easier by giving them accurate and timely information about the conditions of the journey, and the conditions awaiting them at the end of their journey. • Information campaigns on medical themes can be designed to warn potential migrants of various health risks that are sometimes associated with migration. • Information campaigns can be targeted at the general public to promote the image of the migrant and highlight the overall positive contribution migrants make to their countries of adoption. Essentials of Migration Management

16. Topic TwoUsing Information to Manage Migration Well-managed information campaigns • The power of any information campaign to change perceptions comes from its credibility. This is best served by truthful and balanced information. • Effective campaigns should balance the "negative" with the "positive" as overly negative messages can quickly become counterproductive. • Effective campaigns should try to offer choice wherever possible. • Campaigns work better when they are part of a wider package of measures aimed at solving migration issues. • There is a limit to how long a campaign should be, usually between six and nine months of active dissemination. Essentials of Migration Management

17. Managing Perception Topic Three Developing Communication Strategies

18. Topic ThreeDeveloping Communication Strategies Important Points • Media and options to consider include: • TV documentaries produced by national public and/or private television stations or as sponsored productions • TV debates or round tables with expert panels • TV public service announcements consisting of 15-30 second “spots” • Weekly radio broadcasts • Radio public service announcements and FM plugs tailored to the requirements of younger audiences • Migration magazines filled with migration-relevant information and sold at newsstands can be a very effective and convincing tool. • Radio or TV soap operas can be extremely effective message carriers in countries where official channels lack credibility or impact. (Continued) Essentials of Migration Management

19. Topic ThreeDeveloping Communication Strategies • Simple, easy to understand, printed materials describe the realities of migration and the consequences of irregular departures. • Posters or billboards with simple, high-impact messages showing the consequences of irregular migration, placed in public places frequented by potential migrants, bring the message to the streets. • Networking and seminar tours can be designed to “bring the message” to the people, to provide the population with concrete legal information, and to do so, in person, in their place of residence. • Training sessions can bring together NGO leaders, youth organizations, as well as local government officials. • Seminars and round tables enable participants to share experiences, present problems and concerns, and search together for solutions. Essentials of Migration Management

20. Topic ThreeDeveloping Communication Strategies Information centres • Direct counselling of the potential migrant community through dedicated offices or information points helps answer specific questions in a face-to-face setting. • This type of centre can offer advice and information in many areas, including documentation for visa applications, how to emigrate legally to major countries of immigration, exit procedures, and current emigration legislation. • These centres can provide a migration “hotline” for questions on all issues relating to migration, can organize workshops and seminars on pertinent issues of the day, and can provide access to specialized migration publications. Essentials of Migration Management

21. Last Slide Section 1.10 Managing Perception